Relief-valve mechanism.



J. STURGESS.

RELIEF VALVE MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATION HLBD 21:13.17, 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Oct. 19,1909.

J. STURGESS.

RELIEF VALVE MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED 1233.17, 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

9 937,484. Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

UNITED sTATEs .PATENT oEEIcE. JOHN STURGESS, F TRY, NEW YONN,ASSIGNOR-Ilo rS'1"l'J`RA(i1ilSS GOVERNOR ENGINEER- ING COMPANY,OF TNOY,NEW 'Y0|3,K.A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK..

RELIEF-VALVE MEGHANISM.

4To all whom tt'may concern:` y y Be it known that I, J OHN S'rURGEss, asubject of the-King 4of Great Britain, residingaat Troy, countyof'Rensselaer, and State of -New York, have invented certain new anduseful Im rovements in kRelief-Valve Mechanisms, o which the followingis a specification.'

The invention'` relates to such` improvements and consists of the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter de scribed andsubsequently claimed. .E

Reference may be had-to the accompanying drawings, and the referencecharacters marked thereon, which form a partof this specification. lSimilar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures herein.

Figure '1 of the drawings is a 'view in central,I vertical, longitudinalsection of v my;

improved relief-valve, and the operating and controlling mechanismtherefor, showf ing the relief-Valve closed. is a similar view showingthe relief-valve open.`

My invention consists both in a novel method of relievingavalve-controlled pressure-main from shocks due to a rise in .pressurecaused by closing or partly closing said valve, and in relief-valvemechanism forming one means for carrying said method into eect. a e

In certain of its features, my invention is applicable to various useswhere it is desired to quickly relieve in anhydraulic main or apipe-line a sudden rise 1n pressure due to the interruptionor reductionof the iow by gate. i The invention is partlcularly adapted for use witha pipe-line supplying a water-wheel or other hydraulic motor.

One of the objects of the invention is to accomplish simultaneously withthe closing Another ob'ect of the4 'nvention is to util-l ize thehydraulic pressure of the pipe-line Specification of Letters Patent.Patented Ot, 19, 1909, Application iiled February 17, 1908. Serial No.416,420.

itself for closing and controlling the reliefvalve, after the same hasbeen so opened.

Another object of the invention is to regulate the rate of` closing ofthe reliefvalve by the degree of pressure in the pipe-line, in-

stead of closing the relief-valve 1n a predetermined period. y v Otherobjects of 'the invention will appear in connection with the followingdescription.

Sov far as the generalarrangement and location of the various partsofthe apparatus are concerned, the drawings are merely dagrammatic,being in this respect intended for a simple lillustration of theinvention rather than for. an accurate illustration of the invention.applied to an actual on preferred form of pipe-line and main-valve, andit will be understood that the arrangementk and relative location of thevarious parts of the ap lan hydraulic main or a plpe-line through whichfluid under pressure is transmitted in the `direction of the arrow, 2,the flow thereofbeing regulated and controlled by a valve, 3, shown forconvenience of illustration in the lform of a simple butterfly valvemounted upon a horizontal shaft 4.

The water which asses the valve, 3, may be used for any desired purpose,as for op' erating a water-Wheel or an hydraulic motor, not shown. theclosing or partial closing of av valve or ,on the inner or pressure sidethereof islan outlet, 5, which communicates with-a passageway,` 6,leading through the case, 7, of the relief valve 8. The relief-valve isadapted when in' its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 1, to closethe passageway, 6, against the pressure in the main, 1, and when in itsuppermost position to leave the passageway, 6, substantiallyunobstructed for the outflowtherethrough of water from the main, 1, saidoutflow being in the direction of the arrows, 9. The back of this valveis in the form of a piston, 10, adapted-to lit within a cylindricalpressure-chamber, 11, whichis in communication through the pipe, 12,with the pipe-line at a point adjacent to the mainvalve, 3, on thepressure side thereof.

in l-box, 15, and an outlet-chamber, 16, said ho low stem bein providedwith ports,or apertures, 7, a ways in communication with saidoutletlchamber, which apertures, 17 are ada ted to be closed at certaintimes by a cylindrical valve, 18, fixed upon the lower end of thevalve-rod 19. The upper end of the hollow stem, 14, is closed by a cap,20, through which the valve-rod, 19, passes. The hollow lstem, 14, isalso provided with apertures, 21,` communicating with thepressure-chamber 11.

So long as the apertures, 17 are closed by the valve, 18, no relief isafforded for the pressure within the chamber, 11, but when the valve,18, is moved upward by means of the rod, 19, to uncover more or less ofthe openings, 17, the ressure within the chamber, 11, is relieve by theesca e of water therefrom which passes throng the a ertures, 21, thenceupwardly through -the ollow stem, 14, out through the apertures, 17.Vhen the pressure in the chamber, 11, is thus relieved, the totaldownward pressure upon the back of the valve, 8, becomes less than theupward pressure thereon Vdirectly from the pipe-line, so that the valve,8, is automatically opened by such pipe-line pressure.

The u per end of the valve-rod, 19, is connecte' with a iston, 23,located within a cylinder, 24, filled) with a suitable liquid, as oil,the piston being provided with apertures, 25, which are covered by amovable washer, 26, yieldingly held against the underside of the pistonby means of a coilspring, 22, adapted to yield when the cylinder, 24, is-moved downward to permit the.

"-free passage of the oil from the upper to the lower s1de of thepiston, 23, but adapted to prevent a reversal of such movement byautomatically covering the apertures, 25,

and preventing the passage therethrough of the oil from the lower to theupper side of .said piston.

' A gradual passage of the oill from the lower to the' upper side of thepiston, 23, is permitted through a duct, 27, leading through thecylinder wall and communicating at its ends Awith the opposite ends ofthe interior of the cylinder. The passage of the oil through thisl ductis controlled and regulated by means of a needle-valve, 28, the outerend of which is connected with one arm of a lever, 29, fulcrumed at,30upon the cylinder, 24, and having its other end adapted to be en agedby a plunger, 31, fitting and movab e within a cy inder, 32, which isconnected by a fiexib e pi e, 33,

'with the pi e-line near the main-va ve on the inner si e thereof.

The lever, 29, is held against the plunger, 31, by means of acoil-spring, 34, connecting said lever with a support, 35, carried bvthe cylinder 24. The strength of said coil spring is. suicient to holdthe plunger, J31, in`the inner end of the cylinder, 32, so long as-thepressure in the pipe-line does not exceed normal, but this strength isso regulated that said spring will yield in response to an excess ofpressure in the-pipe-line thereby y permitting the needle-valve, 28, toe closed or partly closed by the outward movement of the plunger, 31,due to said excess of pressure. l

The cylinder, 24 is pivotally mounted at.v 36, by means of'a link,- 39,upon one arm `of a lever, 37, fulcrumed at, 38, upon a xed support, .35,the other arm of said lever be'- ing connected .by ax link or rod, 40,with a sol sof

rocker-arm, 41, fixed upon the shaft, 4, of

the main-valve 3.

The operation of the apparatus is as fol-I lows: A closing movement ofYthe mainvalve, 3, which may be induced in any known manner, imparts aquick downward movement to the rocker-arm, 41, rod, 40, and the end ofthe lever, 37 which is connected with said rod, causing the other end'of the lever, 37, to move upward and to carry therewith the cylinder24. As the oil within the cylinder,y 24,'can pass from the lower to theupHer side of the piston, 23, only very gradua y through the duct, 27,the' quick upward movement of the cylinder, 24, causes said cylinder,the piston, 23, the piston-rod,

19, and the valve, 18, all to move upward together as a substantiallysolid or rigid element, thereby opening the apertures or ports, 17, inthe hollow stem, A1 4, and thus relieving the pressure within thechamber, 11, so that the relief-valve, 8, is opened by the direct upwardressure from the pipe-line 1. The opening o the valve, 8, at oncepermits the escape through 'the outlet passage, 6, of a art of thecontents of the plpe-line, 1, to re ieve or prevent an excess ofpressure in the pipe-line, due to the closing or partial closing of themain-valve 3. As soon, however, as the operation thus far described hasbeen accomplished, the piston, 23, begins to descend, due to its ownweight and that of the connected parts, which wei ht is preferably suplemented by an additlonal weight,

42, fixe upon the valve-rod, 19, which within t-he chamber, 11, tends toforce the relief-valve, 8, downward toward 4its seat.

This ydownward movementof the reliefvalve, however, can proceed only atthe same l speed as the downward movement ofthe piston, 23, and thevalve,18, becauseas soon as the valve, 8, tends to gain upon the valve,18,` in the downward movement, 'the apertures, 17, again becomeopened,relieving to"4 some extent the pressure within the chamber 11.`The strength of the spring, 34, being proportioned to offset the normalrpressure in the pipe-line, an excess of pressure in the pipe-line will`force the plunger, 31, outward, operating the lever, 29, to force theneedle-valve, 28, inward to more fully close y the duct, 27, and thusreduce the speed ,at

which the piston, 23, is permittedv to descend. The relief-valve, 8, isthus permit-tedto be moved toward its seat only so long as .the pressurein the pi -line remains` normal, or less than normalie The rod, 40, may,if desired, be connectedy with any mech'- anism foro erating themain-valve.`

What I c aim. as new and desire to secur by Letters Patent is l a y 1.In an apparatusof the class described, the combination with a-nhydraulic pressuremain; and a main-valve controlling the flowt-herethrouvh; of a relief-valve controlling an outlet from said mainnear said mainvalve on the inner side thereof; mechanism for inducing anopening movement of said relief-valve; and means for positivelyoperating said mechanism simultaneously withi a closing movement of saidmain-valve independently of the pressure insaid'main.

2. 'In an apparatus of the class described, the combinatlon with anhydraulic pressuremain; and a main-valve controlling the flow therethrouh; of a relief-valve controlling an outlet rom said main near saidmainvalve on the innersidethereof; mechanism r for inducing an opening-movement of said `rel.ief\ 'alve;-means for positively operating saidmechanism simultaneously with'a closing movement'of said main-valveindependently of the pressure `-in said main; and means for graduallyclosing said relief-,valve independently of saidv main-valve.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

' the combination with an hydraulicpressuremain; and almain-valvecontrolling the flow therethrou h-l; of a relief-valve controlling anoutlet rom said main nearsaid mainralve on the inner side thereof;mechanism for inducing an opening movement-.of said relief-valve,comprising in part an automatically expanding element whereby agradually closing movement of the relief valve is induced independentlylof the main-valve;

and' means for' positively operating said mechanism simultaneously with'a closing movement of said'main-.valve independentlyv ofthe pressure insaid main.

4. In an a paratus of the class descrlbed,

thecombination with an hydraulic pressuremain; and a main-valvecontrolling the flow therethrou h; of a relief-valve controlling anoutlet rom sald mam near `said mainvalve' on the inner side thereof;mechanism for inducingan opening` movement of said relief-valvecomprising in part a piston and a liquid-filled cylinder provided withmeans for gradually permittin the iow of liquid from one side `to the oter of said piston; and means' for positively operating `said mechanismsimultaneously with a closing `movement, of said main-valveindependently of the pressure insaid main.

5. In anapparatus of the class described, thecombination with anhydraulic pressure main: and a main-valve controlling the Howtherethrough; of a relief-valve controlling an outlet vtfrom said mainnear said mainvalve on the inner side thereof; and mechanismwhereby `aclosing movement of the main-valve is automatically accompanied by asimultaneous opening movement of the relief-valve, and whereliya closingmovement of the relief-valve is induced indeendently of the main-valve,said mechanism comprising in part a piston, a liquidfilled cylinderprovided with. means for gradually permitting the iow of liquid from oneside to the other of said piston; a valve 4controlling thev How of saidyliquid; and

means whereby the position of saidl last mentioned-valve is cont-rolledby the pressure in said main.

6.1In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anhydraulic pressure main; and a main-valve controlling the flowtherethrough; of a reliefvalve seat surrounding a'n outlet leading fromsaid main nearsaid main-valve on the inner side thereof; i a pressurechamber4 -in communication with said .main near said main-valve on theinner side thereof ;a relief-valve movable to and from'said seat, andhaving exposed to the pressure in said pressure chamber a backsurfacegreater in area than the area inclosed by said valve seat; avalve controlling-an outlet leading from said pressure chamber; andconnections between saidy last mentioned valve and themain-valve-operating mechanism, whereby a closing movement of saidmain-'valve'is accompanied by the opening of the outlet from thepressure chamber. I y

7 In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anhydraulic pressure main; and a main-valve controlling the flowtherethrough; of a relief valve-seat surrounding an outlet leading. fromsaid main Anear said main-valve on 4the inner side thereof; a pressurechamber in communication with saidy mainnear said main-valvelon area.inclosed by s ai trolling an outlet l-leading from said pres- .ismcomprising in part expanding element l'ber conneCted-\ -th e inner sidethereof; .a relief-valve mov- .to and from said seat, and havin exosedto the pressure in saidpressure c amer a-back surface reater in area'than the valve seat; avalve consure chamber; an'dpositivelybperatedm'ech-l anismwhereb an openin movement of the last mentione valve is inuced by a closing movementA of the main-valve, said mechananautomatically having-a movablemem-` with the valve controllingsaidoutletV from the pressure chamber,

' whereby said last mentioned valve is closed independently of themain-valve. 4

Inan apparatus of the, class described, the combination with anhydraulic pressure main; anda main-valve controlling .the il wtherethrough; of fa relief-valve-s'eat surrounding an outlet leadingfrom said main near said'main-valve on the inner side thereof; apressure chamber in communication with said main near said main-valve onthe inner side thereof; a relief-valve movable to and from said seat,and having exposed to the ressure' in said pressure chamber a backsurflzice greater inarea than the areainclosed by said valve seat lavalve controlling an outlet leading from said pressure cham`bemand-'connections between said last men-A tioned valve and themain-valve-operating mechanism, whereby a closing movement, of saidmain-valve is accompanied by the o ening of the outlet from the pressurecham er, said connections comprisin in part a pis# ton, and aliquid-filled cy inder provided with means for gradually permitting -theflow. of liquid from one side tothe other of said iston.

9. n an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with an hydraulic pressure main;'and a main-valvecontrolling the flow therethrough; of a reliefvalve -seat surroundin anoutlet leading from said main near sai main-valve on the inner sidethereof; a pressure chamber `in communication with said main near saidmain-valve on the inner side thereof; arelief-valve movableto and'fromsaid seat, and having exposed to the ressure in said pressure chamber aback surface greater .in area than the area inclosed by said valve seat;a valve controlling an outlet leading from said pressure chamber; andconnectionsbetween said last mentioned valve and the main-valve-operat-'ing mechanism, whereby a closing movement provid other of said'theethrou h; of an outlet `let from said main near sai an out-let fromsaid main near sai of said main-valve is accompanied by the 'aereasogenii'ig of `the outlet from the pressure c amber, said connectionscomprising in part a e`piston, and a liquid-filled cylinder with meansfor graduallypermitting the flow of liquid piston; a valve controllingthe flow .ofsaid li uid; and means whereby the position of sai last,mentioned valve is controlled by the pressure in said main on the innerside of said main-valve.

from one side to the 10. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination -with an hydraulic pressure'- main; and a main-valvecontrolling the flow a relief-valve controlling v om said main near saidmainvalve on the inner side thereof; mechanism for inducing an openingmovement of said' relief-valve; means forpositively o erating saidmechanism simultaneously wit a closing movement of said main-valveindependently of .the pressure in said main, and whereby va closingmovement ofsaid reliefvalve is automatically induced independ- 'ently-of said mainvalve, said mechanism comprisingin part a member responsiveto an excess of pressure in said main and adapted tofcontrol the rate orinterval of cl osi n from shockA due to a rise in pressure caused byclosing or partly closing said valve, which consists in automaticallypositivel opening d, valve on the inner side thereof simultaneously witha vclosing movement o f said valve, and in ad- Vance of the rise inpressure due to the closing movement thereof, and thereafterautomatically closing said outlet at such a rate as to maintain thepressure in said main substantially normal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set v myhand this 6th day of`February, 1908,

- JOHN STURGESS.

Witnesses:

'FRANKG CURTIS, J. DoNsiiAcn.

